Dinghy securing and stowing means

ABSTRACT

Dinghy securing and stowing means to releasably pivotally secure one side of a dinghy to an adjacent side or surface of a vessel whereby the dinghy is free to pivot and shift vertically upwardly and downwardly relative to the vessel when it is floated and whereby the dinghy can be pivoted upwardly out of the water to a stowed position where its top side opposes and occurs adjacent said surface of the vessel; said means comprising longitudinally spaced support arms projecting laterally from the dinghy and having ball members at their outer ends and spaced socket fittings on said vessel adjacent said surface to releasably establish slack-free pivotal engagement with the ball members.

United States Patent Routery 51 Aug. 22, 1972 [54] DINGHY SECURING AND STOWING MEANS 72 Inventor: Herbert L, Routery, 825 5th St.,

Manhattan Beach, Calif. 90266 [22] Filed: March 29, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 128,991

[52] US. Cl ..ll4/43.5 [51] Int. Cl. ..B63b 23/32 [58] Field of Search ..l14/43.5, 230; 9/36; 287/14, 287/21, 87

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,635,904 4/1953 Roby .Q ..287/21 3,381,646 5/1968 Ledford ..1 14/435 Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Attorney-Georges A. Maxwell ABSTRACT Dinghy securing and stowing means to releasably pivotally secure one side of a dinghy to an-adjacent side or surface of a vessel whereby the dinghy is free to pivot and shift vertically upwardly and downwardly relative to the vessel when it is floated andwhereby the dinghy can be pivoted upwardly out of the water to a stowed position where its top side opposes and occurs adjacent said surface of the vessel; said means comprising longitudinally spaced support arms projecting laterally from the dinghy and having ball membersv at their outer ends and spaced socket fittings on said vessel adjacent said surface to releasably establish slack-free pivotal engagement with the ball members.

10 Clains, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDmszz 1912 I 3.685.476 sum 1-ur 2 Berber/l. Boa/erg 5Z0 JQW DINGHY SECURING AND STOWING MEANS I This invention has to do with support means whereby a small auxiliary boat or dinghy can be advantageously secured and made fast to and selectively arranged in supported, stowed condition relative to the transom or side of a larger mother ship or cruiser.

The instant invention is more particularly concerned with a means of the character referred to which is particularly adapted to secure and support a dinghy on and relative to a rearwardly projecting transversely extending swim step on the transom of a cruiser with the length of the dinghy extending transverse or normal to the length of the cruiser.

It is common practice to secure and to stow a dinghy on its side on a rearwardly projecting transversely extending swim step or platform on the transom of a cruiser. To effect such securing and stowing of dinghys the hardware prior art has sought to provide special hardwarde and fittings which are fixed to the swim step and a side of the dinghy and which, first, facilitates securing a side of the dinghy to the step and which, second, permits swinging and pivoting the dinghy relative to the step-and to the adjacent transom from a down or horizontal position where the dinghy is afloat, rearward of the step, to an up or vertical position where the dinghy is supported on its side, above the step and adjacent the transom, for stowage on and transport by the cruiser.

The special hardward and fittings provided by the prior art and referred to above have met with varying degrees of success, but each has been found to be wanting in some major or material way.

In certain of the dinghy support and stowing means provided by the prior art, the hardward and fittings have consisted of pivotably mounted links and clevices on the cruiser and dinghy, which are adapted to be releasably secured together and releasably fixed against relative shifting and pivoting by a plurality of keeper pins engagable in and between parts and portions of the structure and which require manual manipulation. Such structures have been found to be difficult and inconvenient to use.

Other of the dinghy supporting and stowing means provided by the prior art have sought to avoid the use of pivotably mounted links, retaining pin and the like and instead have provided hook-like fittings mounted on the swim step or transom of the cruiser and rigid metal loops or ring-like fittings fixed to and projecting from a side of the dinghy and adapted to establish hooked engagement in the hook-like fittings. The hook-like fittings of such means have characteristically included spring loaded keeper means to overly the openings of the hooks to prevent accidental disengagement of the loops or rings therefrom.

While such structures effectively eliminate the use of pins and the like, they do not establish a firm and secure connection, but rather provide a connection which permits and results in shifting, working, hammering and chaffing of all of the structure involved, includevitably engage and damage the finish of other boats and the like which the dinghy comes into contact with.

It is important and necessary that the hardware and fittings for dinghy support means of the character referred to allow for free pivotal movement so that the dinghy when secured and down in its floating position can heave up and down and bob in the water and relative to the cruiser, but it is equally important that the connection be tight and free of slack which would permit hammering, working and pounding of the structure.

An object of my invention is to provide novel and improved support means for securing and stowing a dinghy on a swim step and adjacent the transom of a cruiser which affords for easily, quickly and conveniently establishing and breaking of a connection between the swim step and a side of the dinghy.

Another object and feature of this invention is to provide a means of the character referred to wherein a slack-free, semi-universal connection is established between the swim step and the dinghy and a construction which is such that when the connection is broken, the fittings and parts related to the dinghy can be ad vantageously shifted and stowed within the dinghy, where they are not subject to causing harm and damage.

It is an object and feature of this invention to provide a means for the purpose referred to which involves substantially slack-free ball and socket-type coupling means wherein socket fittings are related to the swim step of a cruiser and are adapted to cooperatively receive ball members fixed to and carried by the dinghy.

Another object and feature of my invention is to provide a means and structure of the character referred to wherein the ball members are carried on the ends of arms normally projecting laterally from the dinghy and the socket fittings on the swim step are suitably slotted to accomodate the arms when the balls are engaged therein and when the dinghy and the arms thereon are pivoted upwardly and downwardly between the aforementioned up and down positions. v

Still another object and feature of my invention is to provide a means and structure of the character referred to wherein the socket fittings include a pair of pivotally related, spring actuated parts or sections which permit for easy and convenient engagement and disengagement of the ball parts of the structure and which nor mally establish yielding slack-free engagement with and about said ball parts.

It is yet another object and feature of this invention to provide a means and structure which is free of sharp comers, projections and the like which would tend to catch, snag or otherwise interfere with the bodies of persons and other objects and structures when brought into contact therewith.

The foregoing and other objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing the instant invention related to a dinghy and to the transom and swim step of a cruiser;

P16. 2 is a view taken substantially as indicated by line 2--2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4;

FIG-2;

FIG. 5 is a view taken as indicated by line 5-5 on FIG.. 6 is a view taken as indicated by line 6-6 on FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a view taken substantially as indicated by line 7-7 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a view taken -a's.indicated by line 8-8 on FIG. 7; I

FIG. 9 is a view taken as indicated by line 9-9 on FIG. 8; and,

FIG. 10 is a view showing the dinghy in an up or stowed position relative to the swim step and cruisers transom. I

The present invention involves, in combination, a

' primary. vessel C, a secondary vessel D and special hardware and fittings establishing coupling means M fixed to and between the vessels and adapted to releasably, pivotally secure the secondary vessel to the primary vessel whereby said secondary vessel can be tipped and pivoted upwardly and inwardly toward the primary vessel to be supported thereby clear of the water.

In FIG; 1 of the drawings, I have shown the rear or stem end of a primary vessel C with a substantially flat, substantially vertical, transversely extending transom T and having a flat, horizontal, transversely extending swim step or platform P projecting rearwardly from the transom T in spaced relationship above the surface of the water W on which the vessel C is floated. The primary vessel C, as shown, is a typical pleasure cruiser and the swim platform P on the transom thereof is a common and typical accessory provided on such pleasure boats or cruisers.

Related to the stem end of the vessel C is a secondary vessel D which vessel is a small auxiliary boat of the type and class commonly referred to as a dinghy.

The secondary vessel or dinghyD is shown as' being 5 approximately equal in longitudinal extent or length with the lateral extent or beam of the primary vessel or cruiser C and is arranged with its longitudinal axis normal to the longitudinal axis of the cruiser and with one side adjacent to and extending substantially parallel with a substantially straight rear'edge 10 of the swim platform P.

down, horizontal position, where it is spaced rearward of the platform P and is floated in the water W.

In FIG. 10 of the drawings, the dinghy is shown in an up, vertical position, where it occurs above the platform P, above and clear of the water and with its top side adjacent to and opposing the transom T of the cruiser C.

Each of the socket fittings S of the coupling means M includes a block-like body 15 with a rearwardly and upwardly inclined front side or surface 16, a rear surface 17, a top surface l8,'side surfacesl9 and a flat bottom 20. The body 15 isprovided with a flat laterally outwardly and forwardly projecting mounting flange 21 about its forward portion, on'a common plane with its bottom surface and I which is provided with fastener receiving openings 22 to facilitate securing the body to a supporting surface and structure. In the case illustrated, the body 15 is secured to a flat top surface 1 1 on the platform P by screw fasteners 23 engaged through the openings 22 and into theplatform.

The body 15 is provided with a semi-spherical primary socket 24 entering its forward surface 16, an elon-.

gate upwardly opening,.semi circular or rounded channel 25 in its top surface extending from the rear to the front surface and communicating with or intersecting the uppermost portion of the socket 24 and a central vertical primary slot 26 communicating with the rear portion of the socket 24,"the bottomof thechannel 25 and opening at the rear surface of the body.

The socket 24 extends rearwardly from the forwardly and upwardly disposed front surface 16 and'into the body a distance slightly greaterthan its radial extent and has an outer cylindrical portion of limited extent about its forwardmost, open end. Accordingly, the spherical center of the primary socket 24 is spaced rearward of the front surface l5,and due to the inclination of said front surface, the socket opens forwardly and upwardly and its lowermost portion and/or point occurs on a horizontal plane which is below the lowermost portion or point of its open front, as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

Further, due to the inclination of the front surface 16 and arrangement of the primary socket 24 therein, the

upper portion of the socket occurs rearward of the VBF tical plane on which the spherical center of the cavity occurs.

The primary channel 25 in the top of the body is'semi circular. or concaved in cross-section 'and is substantially equal in radial extent with the socket 24. The channel 25 extends longitudinally from the rear surface 17 of the body to the front surface 16 thereof and is such that its forward end intersects the uppermost portion of the socket 24. v

The primary slot 26 extends downwardly from the central, bottom of the channel 25 and from the rear surface to the socket 24.

The slot has laterally spaced, flat, vertical sides 27 and a rounded bottom 28. The bottom 28 intersects the socket 24 at about the lower rear quarter thereof and extends downwardly and rearwardly therefrom to intersect the rear surface 17. t

The body 15 is next provided with a narrow forwardly, upwardly and downwardly opening central receiver opening 29 with flat, laterally spaced,parallel opposing side 30.

The receiver opening 29 extends downwardly and rearwardly from the lower portion of the front surface 16, intersects the lower central portion of the socket, extends below the slot 26, in spaced relationship there below and intersects the bottom surface 20 of the body at a point spaced forward of the rear surface 17 thereof. The rear portion of the opening 29, rearward of the socket and below the slot is defined by a substantially downwardly disposed top wall or surface 31.

Finally, the body is provided with a transverse, laterally extending pivot pin opening 32 extending from one side 19 thereof the other. The axis of the opening 32 is spaced below and is spaced rearward of the horizontal and vertical planes on which the spherical center of the socket 24 occurs and intersects the receiver opening 29 at a point spaced below the forward, lower quarter portion of the socket.

The fitting S next includes a keeper 35. The keeper 35 includes a substantially square block 36 with front, rear, top, bottom and side surfaces 37, 38, 39 and 40.

The keeper 35 further includes a central, rearwardly and downwardly projecting carrier plate 41. The carrier plate 41 projects rearwardly and downwardly into the receiver opening 29 in the body 15 and is pivotally supported therein by a pivot pin 42 engaged in and through the openings 32 in the body and in and through a registry opening 43 in the plate.

The keeper block 36 is adapted to normally occur adjacent the front surface 16 of the body 15 and to overlie the primary socket 24 therein.

The rear surface 38 of the block 36 normally stops against and establishes flat bearing engagement with the front surface 16 of the body and is provided with a central, rearwardly opening secondary socket 44, the radial center of which is common with the radial center of the primary socket 24 in the body 15 when the block is in said normal position.

The block 36 is next provided with a secondary channel 45 in its rear surface 38 which channel is semi-circular in cross-section, corresponding in radius with the sockets 24 and 44 and extending from the upper central portion of the secondary socket 44 to the top surface 39 of the block.

The channel 45 normally opens or is disposed rearwardly arid downwardly and extends across and overlies the forward end of the channel 25 in the body 15, as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 of the drawings.

The block 36 next includes a central secondary slot 46 entering the front and top surfaces 37 and 39 and intersecting the central, bottom portion of the secondary slot 45 and the upper forward quarter of the secondary socket 44.

The slot 46 has flat, laterally spaced, parallel sides 47 and a rounded bottom 48.

The primary and secondary slots 26 and 36 occur on a common, central, longitudinal plane through the fitting S.

The keeper 36 is adapted to be pivoted from its normal position, described above and as illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings to an actuated position as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings in phantom lines and as shown in solid lines in FIG. 5 of the drawings.

When the block 36 is in its actuated position, it is pivoted forwardly and downwardly relative to the body 15 so that its rear surface 38 is substantially vertical and is spaced forward and clear of the front surface 16 of the body 15 and so that the upper portion of the rearwardly opening secondary socket 44 is spaced forward of and is clear of the upper portion of the forwardly opening primary socket 24 a distance slightly greater than the diametric extent of the sockets, and so that a ball or spherical member corresponding in diametric extent with the sockets can be moved freely, vertically, into and out of engagement between the body and the block and into and out of engagement in the sockets.

The carrier plate 41 of the keeper 35 is slidably engaged between the sides 30 of the receiver opening in the body 15 and so that the block 36 is held stable against lateral shifting and displacement relative to the body.

The upper forward portion of the plate 41 occurs in and along the portion of the receiver opening that intersects with the primary socket24 and is formed and shaped so that when the construction is in its normal position, the upper forward edge portion of said plate conforms with and establishes a continuation of the spherical surface of the socket 24 and occupies the void in said surface established by the receiver opening.

The above noted upper forward edge of the plate normally extends rearwardly and upwardly 'a short distance about the lower rear quarter of the primary socket.

The lower rear portion of the plate 41, rearward of the pivot pin 42 is provided with a rearwardly projecting finger-like spring stop 47 which occurs in spaced relationship below the top wall 31 of the receiver opening 29. The stop 47 and wall 31 are provided with suitable axially aligned spring seats 48 and 49 and a compression spring 50 is engaged in said seats and between the stop and said wall.

The compression spring 50 normally yieldingly urges the portion of the keeper 35 forward of the pivot pin 42 downwardly and forwardly and the portion of the keeper forward of the pivot pin upwardly and forwardly to the above noted normal position.

The body and keeper of the socket fitting S described above are preferably cast of brass or bronze and the pivot pin 42, spring 50 and the fasteners 23 are preferably established of brass, bronze or stainless steel, whereby the fitting S is particularly suited for marine use.

It will be apparent that the fitting S is a simple, neat and compact structure which is easy and economical to manufacture and which is obviously a rugged and durable structure particularly suitable for marine use.

Each ball fitting B that I provide includes an elongate support arm 60, a spherical ball member 61 at one end of the arm to engage with a related socket fitting S and mounting means N at the other end of the arm and mounting said arm to the dinghy D.

The arm 60 of each fitting B has an elongate, substantially straight outer portion 62 which is adapted to project laterally outwardly from the upper edge 63 of the side of the dinghy D with which the fitting B is related.

The arm 60 has an inner portion 64 with which the mounting means N is related.

The arm is a strong, stiff and rigid part and is preferably established of stainless steel rod stock. The arm is slightly smaller in diametric extent than the lateral extent of the slots 26 and 46 of the fitting S.

The ball member 61 is a simple spherical, metal ball corresponding in diameter with the diameter of the sockets 24 and 44 of the fitting S and so that the ball establishes substantial slack-free receiving engagement therein.

The ball is preferably established of brass, bronze or stainless steel and has an opening in one side into which the outer free end of the arm is press-fitted-or otherwise fixed. I

The mounting means N can vary widely in form and construction and is such that it normally holds and maintains the arm in fixed relationship with the dinghy.

In the case illustrated, the means N is adapted to releasably hold the inner end portion of the arm so that the outer portion thereof projects laterally from the side of the dinghy, and so that the ball member occurs ina predetermined, horizontal plane relative to the top side'of the dinghy and which is suitable for and makes engagement'of the ball member in and with its related socket fitting most convenient.

The means N illustrated is also such that the arm can be released and moved from the above noted nonnal position and turned about and lowered so that it occurs within the dinghy, clear of the outboard side of the dinghy, as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 7 of the drawings.

In the form of the invention shown, the outer and inner end portions ,62 and 64 f the arm 60 are at right angles to each other, the inner end portion being a straight substantially vertically extending portion at the inner end of the outer portion 62, remote from the ball member. The mounting means N includes a flat, vertical plate 70 fixed to the inner surface of the side wall 71 Upon bringing the dinghy D along side the platform I P, the ball members 61, together, or first one and then the other, are moved into engagement in the channels 25 of their related socket fittings S. Such engagement can be conveniently efi'ected by manually pulling the dinghy D toward the platform and shifting ones weight in the dinghy to adjust its trim and effect desired verti-' they urge the keeperv blocks forwardly, against the reof the dinghy by screw fasteners 72 and having a pair of vertically spaced, laterally inwardly projecting bearing blocks 73 formed integrally thereon and in and through which the portion 64 1 of the arm is slidably and rotatably engaged, and lock means L to releasably lock the arm against axial and rotative movement in and relative to the bearing blocks 73'.

' upwardly and downwardly in the water W and relative The bearing blocks have simple, straight, axially aligned vertical openings 75 in and through which the vertical inner end portion of the arm is engaged.

The lock meansincludes a protuberance 76 on the plate 70, between the bearing block 73,,which has an opening 77 through which the arm is slidably engaged, a laterally outwardly opening socket 78 offset from and intersecting one side portion of the opening 77. A threaded stud 79 is carried by the plate and projects laterally outwardly, centrally and freely through the socket. A clamp ring 80, with an arm engaging seat 81 at one side is engaged about the stud, in the socket and on the arm and a clamp nut 82 with a manually engagable handle 83 is on the stud, outward of the ring 80 and is adapted to be advanced to urge and hold the ring in tight clamped engagement with the arm.

With the means M set forth above, it will be apparent that by operation of the nut 82, the arm 60 can be releasably fixed in its out, or normal position, or can be moved to its in, or stowed position, easily quickly and conveniently, as desired and as circumstances require.

It will also be apparent that the vertical position of the ball member 61, when in its normal out position,

' can be advantageously and conveniently adjusted by operation of the means N.

When the structure that I provide is to be put to use, the two longitudinally spaced ball fittings on the dinghy are set in their out, or normal position, and the dinghy is maneuvered to arrange its said one side in adjacent parallel relationship with the edge 10 of the platform.

sistance of the springs and until the keeper blockreaches its actuated position, whereupon the ball members drop or move downwardly into the sockets and the outer portions of the arms, adjacentthe ball members shift downwardly into the primary notches26 .in the bodies 15. When the ball members and arms are thus engaged i the sockets and notches 26, all external forces are released and the spring means 50 urges the keeper blocks into their normal position with the ball members 61 held and retained in a slack-free condition in the related sockets 24 and 44.

It is to be noted that the ball members are free to rotate in the sockets and the arms are free to move and swing upwardly and downwardly in the slots '26 whereby the dinghy is'not rigidly secured to the platform, but is pivotally secured thereto.

As a result of the above, the dinghy is free to move to the platform P without adverse effects.

To execute connecting the Mind socket fitting in the above manner takes but a moment or a brief period of time and the exercise of rather little and quickly spent efiort.

'To effect release of the connection between the ball and socket fittings, the dinghy is pulled toward the platform to bias the keeper blocks open and the weight in the dinghy D is shifted to swing the ball members up and out of the sockets. 1

When the ball and socket fittings are made up or connected and it is desired to'tip the dinghy up on its side, out of the water and adjacent the transom T of the cruiser C, a lift line L is extended rearwardly from the stern of the cruiser and is made fast to a suitable fitting As the dinghy is pivoted upwardly to its up or stowed.

position, it is supported by the ball members 61 in the sockets and by the arms which moveand swing up-' wardly and forwardly through the primary slots 26 in the bodies 15 and thence forwardly into and through i the slots 46 in the blocks 36 of the fittings S. I

The fittings S are spaced rearward of the transom T of the cruiser a sufficient distance so that when the.

dinghy is swing up to its stowed position and engages the transom T of the cruiser, it moves over the pivotal axis of the ball members and so that the weight of the dinghy D is transmitted through the ball members, rearwardly and downwardly into the lower forward quarter of the primary sockets 24 in the bodies of the fittings S and is not exerted or directed onto the keeper blocks 36 of said fittings.

The spring loaded keeper blocks, when the dinghy D is in its stowed position, yieldingly urge the ball members downwardly and rearwardly and in seated bearing engagement in the sockets 24.

' In practice, if desired, a simple latch-type safety lock means, such as shown at 100 in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 of the drawings can be provided to secure the keeper blocks in their normal, closed position. The provision of such a safety lock means is deemed desirable in the event the spring means fail or weaken excessively and in the event the structure is subjected to extraordinary and severe or punishing treatment, as might be encountered in rough and stormy weather at sea.

Having described a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any modifications and/or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art and which fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

1. Dinghy securing and stowing means to releasably pivotally secure a dinghy to a larger related vessel for selective shifting of the dinghy from a down, horizontal floated position to an up, vertical stowed position relative to said vessel, said means including, a pair of longitudinally spaced ball fittings fixed to a side of a dingy and having normally laterally outwardly projecting support arms and ball members on the outer ends of said arms; a pair of socket fittings mounted in fixed spaced relationship relative to a substantially fiat, vertical surface of a vessel adjacent to which said side of the dinghy is related, said socket fittings defining substantially upwardly opening semi-spherical sockets in which the ball members are releasably rotatably engaged and having slots on planes parallel with the arms, communicating with the sockets and through which the arms project.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each socket fitting includes a block-like body secured in fixed position relative to the vessel and having a primary ball member receiving socket at least 180 in circumferential extent and opening laterally outwardly and upwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially thereabout and through the body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dinghy.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each socket fitting includes a block-like body secured in fixed position relative to the vessel and having a primary ball member'receiving socket at least 180 in circumferential extent and opening laterally outwardly and upwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially thereabout and through the body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dinghy, and a keeper block pivotally carried by the body to normally overlie the primary socket and having a secondary ball member engaging socket normally opposing and substantially concentric with the primary ball member receiving socket and a secondary arm receiving and guiding slot communicating with said secondary socket and extending circumferentially thereof and through said block on a common plane with the primary slot and receiving and guiding the arm of the ball fitting related thereto when the ball member of said ball fitting is engaged in the sockets and the arm of said ball fitting is pivoted upwardly and about the center of said sockets.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each socket fitting includes a block-like body secured in fixed position'relative to the vessel and having a primary ball member receiving socket at least 180 in circumferential extent and opening laterally outwardly and upwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially thereabout and through the body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dinghy, and a keeper block pivotally carried by the body to normally overlie the primary socket and having a secondary ball member engaging socket normally opposing and sub-' stantially concentric with the primary ball member receiving socket and a secondary arm receiving and guiding slot communicating with said secondary socket and extending circumferentially thereof and through said block on a common plane with the primary slot and receiving and guiding the arm of the ball fitting related thereto when the ball member of said ball fitting is engaged in the sockets and the arm of said ball fitting is pivoted upwardly and about the center of said sockets, said keeperblock being shiftable to move said secondary ball member member engaging socket therein away from the primary ball member receiving socket whereby said ball member is freely shiftable vertically between the body and the keeper block.

5. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each socket fitting includes a block-like body secured in fixed position relative to the vessel and having a primary ball member receiving socket at least 180 in circumferential extent and opening laterally outwardly and upwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially thereabout and through the body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dinghy, and a keeper block pivotally carried by the body to normally overlie the primary socket and having a secondary ball member engaging socket normally opposing and substantially concentric with the primary ball member receiving socket and a secondary arm receiving and guiding slot communicating with said secondary socket and extending circumferentially thereof and through said block on a common plane with the primary slot and receiving and guiding the arm of the ball fitting related thereto when the ball member of said ball fitting is engaged in the sockets and the arm of said ball fitting is pivoted upwardly and about the center of said sockets, and spring means normally yieldingly urging and holding the keeper block adjacent the body with the sockets thereof concentric.

6. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each socket fitting includes a block-like body secured in .Llo

ferential extent and opening laterallyoutwardly and vupwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially thereabout and through the body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dinghy, and a keeperblock pivotally carried by the body to normally overlie the primary socket and having a secondary ball member engaging socket normally opposing and substantially concentric with the primary ball member receiving socket and a secondary arm receiving and guiding slot communicating with said secondary socket and extending circumferentially thereof and through said block on a common plane with the primary slot and receiving and guiding the arm' of the ball fitting related thereto when the ball member of said ball fitting is engaged in the sockets and the arm of said ball fitting is pivoted upwardly and about the center of said sockets, said keeper block being shiftable to move said secondary ball member engaging socket therein away from the upwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially v thereabout and through the body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dingy, said body having an elongate substantially horizontally extending and upwardly opening ball member guiding channel communicating with said slot and with the uppermost portion of ball member receiving socket.

8. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each socket fitting includes a block-like body secured in fixed position relative to the vessel and having a primary ball member receiving socket at least 180 in circumferential extent and opening laterally outwardly and upwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially thereabout and throughthe body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dinghy, and a keeper block pivotally carried by the body to normally overlie the primary socket and having a secondary ball member engaging socket normal opposing and substantially concentric with the primary ball member receiving socket and a secondary arm receiving and guiding slot communicating with said secondary socket and extending circumferentially thereof and through saidblock on a common plane with theprimary slot and receiving and guiding the arm of the ball fitting related thereto when the ball member of said ball fitting is engaged in the sockets and the arm of said ballfitting is pivoted upwardly and about the center of said sockets,

said body having an elongate substantially horizontally extending and upwardly opening ball member guiding channel cormnunicating with said slot and with the uprmost rt' fth 'm kt, k ock ha ving z i n elorr ga um extg n ing li member directing channel communicating with the secondary socket and slot and normally opening:

toward and opposing the end of the ball member ing channel related to the keeper block. a

9. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each socket fitting includes a block-like body secured in fixed position relative to the vessel and having aprima guidry ball member receiving socket at least in circumferential extent and opening laterally outwardly and upwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially thereabout and through the body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dinghy, and a keeper block pivotally carried by the body to normally and receiving and guiding the arm of the ball fitting related thereto when the ball member of said ball fitting is engaged in the sockets and the arm of said ball fitting is pivoted upwardly and about the center of said sockets,

each of said ball fittings including a mounting plate fixed to the dinghy inward of the exterior of said side of the dinghy, bearing means carried by the plate and rotatably and shiftably receiving a substantially vertical elongate journal on the arm related thereto and manually operable screw operated clamp means carried by the plate to releasably hold the journal in fixed position. a

10. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said ball fittings including a mounting plate fixed to the dinghy inward of the exterior of said side of the dinghy bearing means carried by the plate and rotatably and shiftably receiving a substantially vertical elongate journal on the arm related thereto and manually operable screw operated clamp means carried by the plate to releasably hold the journal in fixed position. 

1. Dinghy securing and stowing means to releasably pivotally secure a dinghy to a larger related vessel for selective shifting of the dinghy from a down, horizontal floated position to an up, vertical stowed position relative to said vessel, said means including, a pair of longitudinally spaced ball fittings fixed to a side of a dingy and having normally laterally outwardly projecting support arms and ball members on the outer ends of said arms; a pair of socket fittings mounted in fixed spaced relationship relative to a substantially flat, vertical surface of a vessel adjacent to which said side of the dinghy is related, said socket fittings defining substantially upwardly opening semi-spherical sockets in which the ball members are releasably rotatably engaged and having slots on planes parallel with the arms, communicating with the sockets and through which the arms project.
 2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each socket fitting includes a block-like body secured in fixed position relative to the vessel and having a primary ball member receiving socket at least 180* in circumferential extent and opening laterally outwardly and upwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially thereabout and through the body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dinghy.
 3. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each socket fitting includes a block-like body secured in fixed position relative to the vessel and having a primary ball member receiving socket at least 180* in circumferential extent and opening laterally outwardly and upwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially thereabout and through the body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dinghy, and a keeper block pivotally carried by the body to normally overlie the primary socket and having a secondary ball member engaging socket normally opposing and substantially concentric with the primary ball member receiving socket and a secondary arm receiving and guiding slot communicating with said secondary socket and extending circumferentially thereof and through said block on a common plane with the primary slot and receiving and guiding the arm of the ball fitting related thereto when the ball member of said ball fitting is engaged in the sockets and the arm of said ball fitting is pivoted upwardly and about the center of said sockets.
 4. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each socket fitting includes a block-like body secured in fixed position relative to the vessel and having a primary ball member receiving socket at least 180* in circumferential extent and opening laterally outwardly and upwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially thereabout and through the body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dinghy, and a keeper block pivotally carried by the body to normally overlie the primary socket and having a secondary ball member engaging socket normally opposing and substantially concentric with the primary ball member receiving socket and a secondary arm receiving and guiding slot communicating with said secondary socket and extending circumferentially thereof and tHrough said block on a common plane with the primary slot and receiving and guiding the arm of the ball fitting related thereto when the ball member of said ball fitting is engaged in the sockets and the arm of said ball fitting is pivoted upwardly and about the center of said sockets, said keeper block being shiftable to move said secondary ball member engaging socket therein away from the primary ball member receiving socket whereby said ball member is freely shiftable vertically between the body and the keeper block.
 5. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each socket fitting includes a block-like body secured in fixed position relative to the vessel and having a primary ball member receiving socket at least 180* in circumferential extent and opening laterally outwardly and upwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially thereabout and through the body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dinghy, and a keeper block pivotally carried by the body to normally overlie the primary socket and having a secondary ball member engaging socket normally opposing and substantially concentric with the primary ball member receiving socket and a secondary arm receiving and guiding slot communicating with said secondary socket and extending circumferentially thereof and through said block on a common plane with the primary slot and receiving and guiding the arm of the ball fitting related thereto when the ball member of said ball fitting is engaged in the sockets and the arm of said ball fitting is pivoted upwardly and about the center of said sockets, and spring means normally yieldingly urging and holding the keeper block adjacent the body with the sockets thereof concentric.
 6. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each socket fitting includes a block-like body secured in fixed position relative to the vessel and having a primary ball member receiving socket at least 180* in circumferential extent and opening laterally outwardly and upwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially thereabout and through the body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dinghy, and a keeper block pivotally carried by the body to normally overlie the primary socket and having a secondary ball member engaging socket normally opposing and substantially concentric with the primary ball member receiving socket and a secondary arm receiving and guiding slot communicating with said secondary socket and extending circumferentially thereof and through said block on a common plane with the primary slot and receiving and guiding the arm of the ball fitting related thereto when the ball member of said ball fitting is engaged in the sockets and the arm of said ball fitting is pivoted upwardly and about the center of said sockets, said keeper block being shiftable to move said secondary ball member engaging socket therein away from the primary ball member receiving socket whereby said ball member is freely shiftable vertically between the body and the keeper block, and spring means normally yieldingly urging and holding the keeper block adjacent the body with the sockets thereof concentric.
 7. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each socket fitting includes a block-like body secured in fixed position relative to the vessel and having a primary ball member receiving socket at least 180* in circumferential extent and opening laterally outwardly and upwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially thereabout and through the body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dingy, said body having an elongate substantially horizontally extending and upwardly opening ball membEr guiding channel communicating with said slot and with the uppermost portion of ball member receiving socket.
 8. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each socket fitting includes a block-like body secured in fixed position relative to the vessel and having a primary ball member receiving socket at least 180* in circumferential extent and opening laterally outwardly and upwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially thereabout and through the body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dinghy, and a keeper block pivotally carried by the body to normally overlie the primary socket and having a secondary ball member engaging socket normally opposing and substantially concentric with the primary ball member receiving socket and a secondary arm receiving and guiding slot communicating with said secondary socket and extending circumferentially thereof and through said block on a common plane with the primary slot and receiving and guiding the arm of the ball fitting related thereto when the ball member of said ball fitting is engaged in the sockets and the arm of said ball fitting is pivoted upwardly and about the center of said sockets, said body having an elongate substantially horizontally extending and upwardly opening ball member guiding channel communicating with said slot and with the uppermost portion of the primary socket, said keeper block having an elongate upwardly extending ball member directing channel communicating with the secondary socket and slot and normally opening toward and opposing the end of the ball member guiding channel related to the keeper block.
 9. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each socket fitting includes a block-like body secured in fixed position relative to the vessel and having a primary ball member receiving socket at least 180* in circumferential extent and opening laterally outwardly and upwardly relative to said side of the dinghy and a primary support arm receiving slot communicating with the primary socket and extending circumferentially thereabout and through the body to open upwardly and laterally inwardly toward said side of the dinghy, and a keeper block pivotally carried by the body to normally overlie the primary socket and having a secondary ball member engaging socket normally opposing and substantially concentric with the primary ball member receiving socket and a secondary arm receiving and guiding slot communicating with said secondary socket and extending circumferentially thereof and through said block on a common plane with the primary slot and receiving and guiding the arm of the ball fitting related thereto when the ball member of said ball fitting is engaged in the sockets and the arm of said ball fitting is pivoted upwardly and about the center of said sockets, each of said ball fittings including a mounting plate fixed to the dinghy inward of the exterior of said side of the dinghy, bearing means carried by the plate and rotatably and shiftably receiving a substantially vertical elongate journal on the arm related thereto and manually operable screw operated clamp means carried by the plate to releasably hold the journal in fixed position.
 10. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said ball fittings including a mounting plate fixed to the dinghy inward of the exterior of said side of the dinghy bearing means carried by the plate and rotatably and shiftably receiving a substantially vertical elongate journal on the arm related thereto and manually operable screw operated clamp means carried by the plate to releasably hold the journal in fixed position. 